Somewhere you can go to read a book, be alone, be reflective, be private, talk to one other person
How could you do this in your classroom?
When I was teaching I created secret spaces at different times, Two of my favourites were
using a fridge box to create the wardrobe (From 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) that children had to go through to get into the library, the whole corner was covered in and when you got through the door, there was the lamp and all the library books. I could not see the students and they could not see out. They enjoyed lying on the cushions under the Lamp reading books.
the other secret space we created was Aladdin's Cave. It took a lot of crumpled up painted paper to look like rock and we shaped it around furniture and hanging trellis. The lamp was in there along with children's writing and artwork and the lantern of course. Children could go in there and read or do their work if they wanted to.
A teacher recently told me that she had a child that disappears under one particular table all the time, when she looked at what he was doing, he was reading a book. This student obviously needs a secret space to go to.
Secret Spaces can be created using existing furniture, hanging trellis, tents and lots of imagination. Ask your students, they will come up with the ideas.
Secret Spaces
Somewhere you can go to read a book, be alone, be reflective, be private, talk to one other person
How could you do this in your classroom?
When I was teaching I created secret spaces at different times, Two of my favourites were
using a fridge box to create the wardrobe (From 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) that children had to go through to get into the library, the whole corner was covered in and when you got through the door, there was the lamp and all the library books. I could not see the students and they could not see out. They enjoyed lying on the cushions under the Lamp reading books.
the other secret space we created was Aladdin's Cave. It took a lot of crumpled up painted paper to look like rock and we shaped it around furniture and hanging trellis. The lamp was in there along with children's writing and artwork and the lantern of course. Children could go in there and read or do their work if they wanted to.
A teacher recently told me that she had a child that disappears under one particular table all the time, when she looked at what he was doing, he was reading a book. This student obviously needs a secret space to go to.
Secret Spaces can be created using existing furniture, hanging trellis, tents and lots of imagination. Ask your students, they will come up with the ideas.
Online 'Secret' Spaces
Texting, Twitter DM, Skype, iChat (Bonjour)